Something to Spare
by temp0ral
Summary: In which Percy had recently disappeared, and relays a dream message to Annabeth who becomes frightened at Percy's predicament. One-shot. (Dream scene inspired by a certain episode in Attack on Space. Credit goes to the AOS crew.)


**(dream scene inspired by a certain episode in Attack on Space. credit goes to the AOS team for the idea, and HoO / PJO goes to Rick Riordan.)**

Soon she collapsed from exhaustion, sleep taking it's hold of her.  
Of course, her dreams were anything but restful.

"Annabeth?"  
Oh, gods. It was him. It was Percy. He had been missing for so long and now she could hear his voice again. "I'm here," she called back, barely containing her excitement.  
"Annabeth, where...? Where are you? Where am I?"  
What? Oh, no. That didn't sound good. If he still didn't know what was going on, then gods knew what was happening to him.  
"Help, Annabeth, I... I can't feel my arms, or my legs. I can't... help!"  
"Percy, stay calm. You'll be fine." She didn't trust her own words. Even when she spoke, they felt like empty lies. She could barely even keep herself calm. Normally Percy didn't freak out like this. And she could only see black, too, which only worsened things, despite being able to feel her limbs- unlike Percy, apparently. His voice sounded like an echo, like the two of them were in a cave.  
"What's going on?" His voice began to quaver. "I can't feel anything. I can't see, oh gods, Annabeth, help."  
"Percy, calm down! It's oka-"  
"Help me, Annabeth! Oh gods, what's happening? I can't move, nothing's working! I can't feel my body!" At this point, he was practically screaming, but the boy's words sounded even louder. "Help me, I feel like I'm _suffocating_, Anna-"  
His voice cut off, replaced by the kind of whee sound you get in your ears when you leave a loud room.  
She choked back a sob. Percy had never been so panicked before, reduced to yelling and screaming, not even during the Titan War. What was happening to him?

Annabeth woke to the sound of the ship's breakfast bell. She hastily changed, her shirt inside-out, and rushed to the mess hall, not bothering to brush her hair. She had to tell the others about the dream with Percy. When she finally arrived, all the others had gathered and were eating their chosen food of the morning, making small talk among each other. Annabeth sat down with a plate and a glass without bothering to actually get something to drink or eat. There was silence.  
It was Piper who- well, piped up. "You don't look youself today," she said, looking in the daughter of Athena's direction. "What's wrong?"  
Said girl bit her lip- the dream had been so frightening and unnerving she almost refused to tell about it. But if Annabeth only kept it to herself, it would surely get worse.  
"I had a dream," she said. This came as no surprise to the rest of them. It was a common thing for demigods. She continued. "Concering Percy."  
The rest of the Seven shifted inteir seats uncomftorably. Leo spoke. "What was it about?"  
It was hard, but Annabeth managed to describe it, down to the last details since it was awfully short. When she finished, Frank, Leo, Piper and Hazel looked fearful, maybe scared out of their wits. Only Jason appeared composed, but even he still had a twinge of uncertainty.  
"Repair Boy" cursed under his breath. "We need to find him faster than I thought." Hazel only nodded, looking as if she was going to be sick. Being on the water probably didn't help.  
"But what if this is a trap?" Frank said, a note of fear in his voice as he glanced at Annabeth to see her glaring daggers at him.  
"Leo and Jason said the same about Nico," she warned, her voice dangerously calm. "This is no different."  
The poor boy probably tried to say something like "okay" or "I'm sorry," but instead he made a squeaking noise.  
Jason seemed deep in thought. "If he can't feel his limbs, I'm thinking numbness. Cold, maybe ice," he mused. "Trapped in his own element. That would put a spin on things."  
"But where in Greece or Rome where there be enough ice to freeze Percy like that?" Piper asked.  
"If we're talking about melting ice, I'm in." Embers flickered across a raised palm. Frank flinched and Hazel swatted Leo's hand, which extinguished. "Sorry."  
"It doesn't have to be ice," Annabeth reminded the group. "It could be something else."  
"I'll keep the ship going," Leo said. "Everyone else, stay here. I'm bringing Piper with me, because Katropis could help." With that, he promptly grabbed her wrist and strode out of the room.  
That left the rest of them in silence, small whispers and discussion as the _Argo II_ sailed further through the ancient lands.


End file.
